Mission accomplished for Roma in Holland. The Giallorossi suffer but win 1-0 away against Vitesse in the first leg of the round of 16 and are approaching qualification to the quarter-finals of the Conference League. To decide the challenge of the Gelre Dome in Arnhem is Oliveira with a goal in the recovery of the first fraction; the same Portuguese midfielder, however, gets sent off in the second half and will miss, as well as Mancini, the return in a week at the Olympic stadium.
Difficult first half for the Capitoline, who kicked in goal for the first time in the 42nd minute with Abraham, after Vitesse had become dangerous on several occasions. Yet it is the Giallorossi who close the first fraction with the advantage, thanks to a Sergio Oliveira’s goal in recovery. A goal that comes from a shot from outside the box, on the trajectory there is Zaniolo who stops the ball and actually adjusts it for the Portuguese left, who is next to him and unloads into the goal at the intersection of the goalposts. Until that moment, Roma had suffered, with Rui Patricio protagonist in the good when he closes on Openda with a decisive save and in the bad when he misses a pass serving Grbic who puts Openda in front of the door: the clamorous error of the Vitesse attacker.
Mourinho introduces fresh forces in midfield in the second half, the department that suffered the most in the first half. Karsdorp, Cristante and El Shaarawy give freshness and brilliance, even if the Vitesse seems to have fewer ideas and does not create major dangers. To lend a hand to the gialloneri thinks Oliveira, who remedies an avoidable red with 11 minutes from the end, staining a good performance. At this point, Letsch plays the cards Bazoer, Buitink and Baden Frederiksen (formerly Juve U23), unbalancing his team in search of an equal, but the score does not change anymore. It ends 1-0, a very important success in view of the second leg.